


Mostly Void, Partly Stars

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Tony Stark - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Doctor Who AU, FrostIron - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-16
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 13:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1006037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki was not looking for a companion. But he got one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mostly Void, Partly Stars

**Author's Note:**

> The vague references to a war are totally this AU's version of the Doctor Who Time War in which Loki makes some questionable decisions and he's messed up BUT this is his second chance of sorts.

He wasn’t looking for a companion, didn’t need one. Thor had been the best, like a brother to him, before the war. Before Loki had destroyed their home and Thor, furious, had left. He would never be forgiven. 

Loki told himself he didn’t care. It was not his problem if Thor was too blind to see the choice he had to make. It wasn’t just about revenge. It was justice. 

He wasn’t looking for a companion, especially not a human, weak and prone to die as they were. But he got one. 

**

His ship, an antiquated blue police call box on the outside, a maze of living technology on the (much larger) inside, decided to deposit him in New York City just in time for the Alien Invasion of 2012. It was the first experience humans would have on a massive scale with beings from another planet. And it wasn’t a good experience. 

Loki wanted nothing to do with it. Thor would be there, making sure the humans were saved, that negotiations were made and balance restored to the universe and similar good things, things that Loki had long not been capable of. 

Except the battle had not ended when Loki landed. He saw something red and gold streak though the sky followed by a flock of silver-clad aliens—Chitauri, Loki’s mind supplied with a sharp stab of anxiety. They passed him just as the red-and-gold streak crashed into the ground. 

Loki did not want to get involved, but he hated the Chitauri. His heart pounded furiously in his chest as they converged on the man in red and gold armor, and he remembered another time when hoards of Chitauri converged on different men on a different planet long ago. Loki sprung forward, materializing a wicked-edged sphere from mid-air and thrusting it through the nearest Chitauri soldier. 

The fight lasted less than a few moments. Loki found himself surrounded by dead Chitauri, black blood staining his suit and no idea how he managed to kill so many so quickly. The rage faded and he looked to where the armored human was making his way to his feet. 

His helmet had slid off. He was of average height, with tanned skin and dark hair and a strangely cut beard. 

“Who are you?” he asked. 

Loki vanished. 

He could not travel between planets, but on his own power he could transport himself shorter distances within one world, a trick native to his species. He did so now, ending up a few blocks away in deserted side-street. A few waves of his hands and the gore disappeared from his suit, but he could still feel the phantom stickiness of blood on his arms and he felt ill. The adrenaline wore off, leaving him time to actually think, and his thoughts made him feel worse. The blood on his hands that was not there felt too thick. 

He doubled over and retched, vomiting bile. Gasping, he closed his eyes and tried to make his mind blank, but it was racing. Eventually the waves of nausea faded and he began walking back towards his ship. 

He took a round-about route, walking through many streets to shake off his nerves, to regain a sense of calm. He could feel time, as always, spinning away in his head. The battle had long ended and the streets were empty. 

He turned a corner and found his ship waiting in a small alleyway tucked away on an equally small street, exactly where he left it. He rushed to the door, put the key in the lock, and someone behind him chose that exact moment to say, “Bit of a strange home, isn’t it?” 

Loki sighed and turned. The man he had rescued earlier was walking towards him. He no longer wore his armor, but rather a t-shirt and jeans. He stopped a few feet away. 

“Tony Stark,” he said. “I tracked you down. That shit you pulled back there wasn’t normal, and you never answered my question. Who are you?” 

“Is that a thank you for saving your life?” Loki asked, and was relieved at how his voice did not reflect the urge he had to disappear to where he could be alone. 

“Who are you?” Stark repeated. “Are you an alien? Do aliens use phone booths? What’s your deal?”

Loki gave him a disdainful look. “You must have enough to be getting on with,” he said, “without worrying about me.” 

“So you are an alien.” Stark’s eyes narrowed. 

“I didn’t say that.” 

“You’re dancing around the answer,” Stark said. “You never told me you weren’t. Aren’t you curious about who you rescued?” 

“No,” Loki said. Truthfully, the armor Stark had worn earlier was excellent in terms of human technology, and the man behind it had to be considerably intelligent. 

“Why a phone booth?” Stark asked. 

Or too curious for his own good. He would tear the ship apart in his quest for knowledge, and it was the only thing Loki had that was his. Even if he had stolen it a lifetime ago. 

“I wanted to make a phone call,” he told Stark drily. 

Stark took out his cellphone and held it up, as if he were taking a photo of the ship. Then he frowned. “No, this is saying that there is something weird going on with that blue box of yours. Strange radiation readings.” He looked up and smirked. “My tech is the best.” 

A challenge. Loki’s stomach twisted. He would not open the doors to another, he would not-

“Please don’t tell me you live in a piece of shit box,” Stark said. “You wear a suit. You can’t live in a box.” 

“I don’t live in a box,” Loki said. He could quickly open the door, dart inside, and slam it shut, but he didn’t want to seem cowardly. 

Stark was holding up his phone again. “Did you know you have two hearts?” 

“Stop that,” Loki snapped. “What do you want?” 

“To see what’s inside,” Stark said. “There’s no harm.” 

“Human,” Loki spat, and a brief flash of shock ran across Stark’s face. “You know nothing of consequences.” 

“What are you?” Stark repeated. “Are you like the Chitauri?” 

“No,” Loki snarled. “I am nothing like them. Do not-“

“Sorry,” Stark interrupted. “Didn’t mean to offend.” 

Loki glared at him. 

“Anyway,” Stark said, “you saved my life. You can’t blame me for being curious.” 

“Had I known you would be this persistent, I would not have done so,” Loki said, anger still clear in his voice. He was not shaking. He was not. 

“Some people call it charm,” Stark said, oblivious. 

“I may be tempted to take your life myself,” Loki snapped. 

“I’m not leaving,” Stark said, meeting Loki’s glare. 

Loki leaned against the door to his ship and folded his arms, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. “I have eternity. If we play the waiting game, you will lose.” 

Stark moved a few paces closer. “Look,” he said, “I have a friend who studies space—she’d kill for this. But she’s in Norway and I’m here and interested and I want to know. Point is, this is an opportunity most people would die for. Knowledge is good, right?” 

Loki felt cornered. “I don’t take passengers.” 

“Why not?” Stark asked in a tone that implied that he thought any reason Loki would be willing to tell him wouldn’t be good enough. 

Loki wasn’t willing to tell Stark anything. 

“It won’t kill you,” Stark insisted. “Just show me.” 

Loki was tired, still shaken, and Stark was tearing his resolve to shreds. He’d never met so persistent a human. “Fine,” he said. And he opened the door. 

Stark moved forward, his body brushing against Loki’s, who took a step back. He had not touched anyone for any reason besides a fight in a long time. 

Stark stepped back from the door, his eyes darting everywhere to take in what he was seeing. He looked so suspicious of the sight before him that despite his mood Loki almost laughed. He settled for a self-satisfied smirk. 

“That is not possible,” Stark said. “How-“

“Science,” was Loki’s unhelpful answer. 

Stark glared at him. “Not my science.” 

“Mine,” Loki said. “Are you finished?” 

“No.” Stark stepped forward again, into the ship towards the central control panel. The area was cavernous, practically pulsing with energy. “What does it do?” 

“It’s a ship,” Loki said, unable to help the note of pride in his voice. “She takes me anywhere I wish.” 

“Like,” Stark made a vague gesture, “space? The Final Frontier.” He laughed. “Mars?” 

“Anywhere,” Loki repeated. 

Stark looked skeptical. “Where are you from?” he asked. 

Loki shut the door behind him with a sharp bang. “Nowhere,” he said curtly. 

“You weren’t born in this ship,” Stark muttered. 

“Leave it,” Loki snapped. “Are you quite done?” 

“Prove it,” Stark said. “That this ship can go anywhere.” 

“I have no need,” Loki said. “You are but an insignificant flash of life. I have all of time and space at my disposal. I can go anywhere, see anyone, at any time. I have the universe at my fingertips. What need have I of one human’s approval?” 

“Then why are you alone?” Stark asked. 

The question was a sharp blow, like a knife slid between the ribs. Loki sucked in a breath and the thoughts he’d meant to suppress earlier were coming back. He was alone and it had been his fault, so much blood on his hands, and it should have made things better but there was nothing for him now. He closed his eyes, didn’t want to see or think-

“Hey,” came Stark’s voice, much closer. 

“Get out,” Loki hissed. 

“No,” said Stark. “You clearly have issues-“

“What does it matter?” Loki snarled. Stark’s hand made to grab for his arm, brushed him, but he turned sharply away. “Why should you care? I am a monster, and you do not need the knowledge you so desperately seek. You are better off not knowing every possibility, every fact of the universe. It would destroy you.” 

“Maybe,” said Stark, “but I hate not knowing. You saved my life, and yeah, I’m curious about what this ship can do, but it looks like you need company.” 

“Idiotic human,” Loki said. 

“I’m a genius,” Stark said. 

Loki turned to him. “And how long would you stay? Before you ran? Or worse? Could you leave everything behind with the possibility of no return?”

“You have no idea,” Stark said, something dark in his eyes. “And I’m a scientist. This stuff’s like catnip to me. And even if I weren’t, who wouldn’t take this chance?” 

Loki couldn’t answer him. 

“Whatever happened in the past won’t happen again,” Stark added. 

“I have thought many a time of breaking the rules, of undoing, even of ending and bringing chaos,” Loki said. “I did not. I have that power, Stark. Does it scare you?” 

“I don’t scare easily,” Stark said. 

“Fool,” Loki whispered. 

Stark grinned. 

“It will ruin you,” Loki said, a possible truth or a blatant lie, a last effort to get the human to change his mind. 

“Personal ruin in exchange for the universe?” Stark shrugged. “I don’t think it’s too high a price.” 

“Fine.” Loki moved to the console and hovered his hand above the controls. For a moment, he had the urge to take Stark to a place and time that would show him the worst horrors, make him regret his decision, leave him broken as Loki was broken. But Stark was not ruined, not yet. 

They were both running. 

And perhaps Loki could do more than ruin. He had saved Stark’s life. And now he had a choice as to how they would move forward. 

“So,” Stark said, coming to stand next to him, brushing against him. This time Loki did not move away. “Who are you? You never said.” 

“Loki.” 

“Great.” Stark smiled. “Like the Norse god?” 

“Perhaps,” Loki said. He set the controls. The ship shuddered, and they disappeared from the streets of New York.


End file.
